Chart Performance: Pop (#2) and Hot Dance/Disco – Club Play (#46); 1983
Story Behind The Song By Ed Osborne
Culture Club came together in 1981 and within a year had a single out on Virgin Records. Unfortunately, White Boy stiffed as did the follow-up, I’m Afraid Of Me. Undaunted, singer George “Boy George” O’Dowd banged out a new song – Do You Really Want To Hurt Me – and Culture Club laid it down live with George delivering his vocal in one take. Although the label wanted Want as the third single, George lobbied against it. In the end George lost, then won as the track took off all over Europe and the States, where it reached #2. By now, CC’s Kissing To Be Clever album was big in Britain, and the suits were clamoring for another single. George and the gang felt nothing from the album fit the bill, and offered up a new song called Time (Clock Of The Heart). In the studio, a full string section fleshed out the Club’s sound and Helen Terry sang back-up to George’s lead. The result gave Culture Club its second #2 US single in three months.
This content and all Song Meaning articles were created and written by Top 40 Contributing Editor Ed Osborne. © 2023 Ed Osborne. All Rights Reserved. In addition to these song meaning articles, Ed has written our “Year in Music 1960s-1990s” articles.
Produced by:
- Steve Levine
Lyrics Written by:
- Roy Hay
- Boy George
- Mikey Craig
- Jon Moss
Ed Osborne
Hi. I got my first record at age two and never looked back, spending a decades-long career in radio and the music business. Even after years of reading about and listening to all types of music, I am still fascinated by it. Apart from that, I’m endlessly intrigued by art, nature, and the inner lives of people (and dogs).
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